Rome has been delightful each time I've visited. It's such a spacious city, ruins everywhere, full of greens and people. Crazy speeding cars everywhere though. But the food..!

I love pasta. Lasagna, Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Tagliatelle al pomodoro, Cacio e Pepe... Remember the recent reunion trip in Rome I went to? It started off with a perfect cooking class by our Italian friend: simple tomato sauce, shallots, olive oil, tomatoes, with basil for its lovely aroma.

My favourite Italian phrase: Io fame - I'm hungry!

Apart from pasta though, of course, is pizza. Both are so simple yet so filling. I like their simplicity, they don't require too much pressure, usually. Both are excellent for feeding a troop, too. From school camps to  college dorms to easy weeknight dinners. When done correctly and presented immaculately, they can also serve well in restaurants. So versatile.

For our last group dinner, we went to Alle Carrette Pizzeria. We took up two large bench tables. Honestly, we were talking so much we didn't even know if the pizza was going into our mouths or up our noses, but I guess part of group eating is all about the atmosphere. The waiter joked with us. Our tables were overflowing with pizzas and pastas and water bottles and wine bottles and glasses and cups for everyone.

We had met quite a variety of people over the weekend. There was a fashion designer friend visiting from Milan; friends from the energy sector; exchange students from America..

The wait into Alle Carrette Pizzeria was considerably long. A crowd of us waited patiently outside in the growing dark, waiting to be let in. But boy, was it worth it.

Alle Carrette Pizzeria
Vicolo delle Carrette, 14
Roma, Italy
Tel. 06-6792770